


Devotion as Sharp as a Knife

by occultclysms



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Serial Killers, Boys Kissing, Investigations, M/M, and they were ROOMMATES, murder for love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:53:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25042723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/occultclysms/pseuds/occultclysms
Summary: It’s a tough life being a serial killer. Now, you might not feel bad for a serial killer at first glance because they kill people and that’s wrong or whatever. But Junhui is a serial killer for good. There’s only one person that Junhui would ever consider stopping his killings for; Minghao Xu.
Relationships: Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 4
Kudos: 58
Collections: You Made My Summer Fest





	Devotion as Sharp as a Knife

**Author's Note:**

> okay, so this is my first seventeen fic (one of hopefully many) so uhhh please be nice ??? also i know mingyu is a very nice boy irl, i just had to use someone for his role, so yeah please enjoy some junhao

It’s a tough life being a serial killer. Now, you might not feel bad for a serial killer at first glance because they kill people and that’s wrong or whatever. But Junhui is a serial killer for good. The people he kills tend to suck as people, and they weren’t really going to change their behavior at all. Junhui is a firm believer in second chances and is happy to give them to people, but he also doesn’t let people drag him along for no reason.

One thing that most people would wonder is how does Junhui not get caught? Very simple. Once the police started to investigate, he started killing them off. And his killings are generally all very different from each other. Not to mention, he never has a real relationship with the deceased. Maybe they share one class, but that’s it.

Yes, Junhui is a serial killer and in college.

It’s a lot of work to do both. It’s a very delicate balance. The police haven’t necessarily turned a blind eye completely, so Junhui has to be extremely careful, keeping everyone he knows and cares about out of the loop. There’s only one person that Junhui would ever consider stopping his killings for; Minghao Xu.

Minghao is everything Junhui could ever dream of. He’s an artist, dancer, speaks fluent Mandarin, has the prettiest smile, and pulls off a mullet--what can Minghao not do?

In fact, Junhui gets a bit distracted whenever Minghao is around, which makes everything very difficult for him because they’re roommates. They got paired together randomly freshman year based around shared interests. Junhui likes to study Chinese culture, so does Minghao. Minghao likes to look at French art movements and their impact around the world, Junhui does too. It certainly seems like a match made in heaven from Junhui’s perspective. And Minghao thinks so too(at least in a platonic way), as the two moved into their own apartment sophomore year and haven’t looked back.

Junhui’s in his senior year now and isn’t looking forward to graduating just yet. He’s still too shy to ask out Minghao, even though he knows that he’s gay and very much single. Minghao used to come home at all hours with guys, which was annoying for Junhui(but fantasizing about killing them off made him feel better). But since the spring semester of junior year, Minghao hasn’t brought anyone home and he wasn’t going out at random hours. That made Junhui feel relatively certain that Minghao isn’t seeing anyone.

“Junhui,” Minghao calls, bringing Junhui back into the present. It’s Saturday and Minghao likes to paint random things (including Junhui) on the weekends for practice.

“Yeah?” Junhui calls back from his place on one of their barstools. There are three of them on one side of the small kitchen island, but neither of them ever had people over so one stool always gets left out. Except for when Minghao likes to lay across all three of them and stare at the ceiling. Most of the time it’s because he’s having an existential crisis, but sometimes he’ll lay across them because he’s bored and thinks the fact that the ceiling is popcorn styled is utterly fascinating.

“Can you come in here?” Minghao asks, but Junhui is already in the doorway looking at the mess of paints scattered across Minghao’s bedroom. “You’re so quiet; you would be a great murderer.” See, when Minghao says random things like that, Junhui is convinced he’s somehow caught on to Junhui’s secret identity, so to speak, but he also knows Minghao says things like that to other people and it’s just his normal way of talking.

"Thanks, I guess." Junhui shrugs. Minghao's room is mostly painted, half finished works all over the walls and ceiling. "What do you need?"

"I wanna try face painting again," Minghao replies. "It was fun last time even if it didn't work too well on you." That is completely wrong. Junhui had been covered in flowers and suns and clouds and it was the most precious thing ever.

"I don't think you did that bad last time, if that's worth anything." Junhui kneels on the random smock protecting a section of the hard wood from flying paint and looks at Minghao expectantly.

"Thank you," Minghao mumbles, cheeks slightly tinted with pink and Junhui sighs dreamily. Oh, what a perfect boy. Minghao gets blue paint on a brush and holds Junhui's chin tightly. Junhui doesn't dare breath as the first bits of paint glide across his cheek bones. Minghao makes big strokes from one cheek and across his nose onto the other. "I am trying to make the night sky because I think it would suit you very well."

"Why is that?" Junhui asks, careful to say his question when the brush is away from his face.

"Because you are also pretty on first glance, but there's so much more to you once people start to take a deeper look at you." Minghao makes eye contact with Junhui for a moment, then focuses back on painting. This time he takes a pastel blue on a smaller brush and draws little shapes across the darker blue section of Junhui's face. Once he's satisfied, he releases Junhui's chin and looks at his work.

"Do you like it so far?" Junhui asks. He likes letting Minghao make him into some beautiful form of art because he gets to see Minghao's creative process, Minghao's undivided attention, and leaves the room with some new artwork.

"We are only in the beginning, but I'm trying to decide if I add anything to the other parts of your face. Because if I do it should be in this pastel-y color, but I’m unsure," Minghao muses, brows pulled together.

"You could add some and see how it looks," Junhui suggests.

"But I don't wanna mess up your pretty face," Minghao mumbles, eyes looking at Junhui. But he looks at Junhui like a canvas, not as a person and it's honestly a strange feeling but Junhui can't say he minds because he likes Minghao's attention too much. "But I really can't decide and I can always paint your face again."

"That sounds good to me," Junhui replies. "Besides, anything you create is perfect anyway." Minghao smiles.

"Thank you, that means a lot." Minghao dips another brush into a light gray and holds it a few inches from Junhui's face. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but don't move at all." Junhui gives Minghao a wink and Minghao goes right back into painting Junhui's face.

* * *

"Oh, Jun," Minghao coos, busting open Junhui's door which is annoying, but Junhui has gotten good at keeping all his murder supplies out of their apartment after Minghao almost caught him cleaning a knife. It's better anyway because then there's less of a connection to Junhui when someone is killed.

"What is it?" Junhui asks. Minghao will barge into his room a lot, but this is weird because it's dead week and finals are soon, so generally they stay out of each other's way.

"I can talk to you about anything, right?" Minghao says, casting his eyes downward and Junhui's brow furrows. Why is Minghao upset?"

"Of course," Junhui replies. "Do you want to sit down on the bed?" Minghao nods and flips up the covers and slides in next to Junhui so their shoulders touch and Junhui fights to keep his mind from focusing on that.

"So there's this guy," Minghao starts. "Fuck, how do I even explain this?" Is Minghao telling Junhui that he's gonna move out and go live with the man of his dreams? Is he just dating this guy? Does he want Junhui's approval since they live together? "This guy has been harassing me when I walk from pottery to painting class." Oh, this is very different. Junhui doesn't like the way he gets a bit excited by the fact that this is a prime victim for him. Junhui isn't excited by the fact that Minghao is being harassed, in fact, quite the opposite, but he's happy to know Minghao isn't leaving.

"That totally sucks, Hao," Junhui says. "Is there anything I can do for you?" Junhui rests his hand palm up on the blanket. It's an open invitation for Minghao to take his hand if he wants some physical contact, but also low pressure. Minghao takes Junhui's hand and squeezes.

"Not really," Minghao admits, sighing. "It sucks to be followed and called names, but I don't want to make a huge deal about it. He's already kinda got a rep and ugh. I would just feel gross if I tattled on him for something like this."

"Minghao." Minghao looks to Junhui and they make eye contact. Junhui's eyes are firm whereas Minghao's are tired. "You're valid and this guy should be punished for his actions. You can't be a dick and not face consequences. That's the way the world should work. If you do harm to someone, expect that same level of harm right back because that's karma."

"You seem more worked up about this than me." Minghao laughs, but it's empty and Junhui frowns.

"Someone has to fight for you," Junhui says, voice nearly a whisper. Minghao turns his body to Junhui and rests his face in Junhui's neck.

"Thank you," Minghao whispers. "I want him to basically just disappear from my life at this point, but I don't think I have the courage to stand up for myself and if I don't no one will."

"I will," Junhui says, bringing the hand that isn't holding Minghao's to rub his back lightly.

"The school won't take you seriously without me also standing up and you don't even know the guy." Minghao sighs.

"If you say so, Hao," Junhui says.

"Thank you, I feel a little bit better now." Minghao snuggles closer to Junhui's body, breath warming Junhui's neck. "I can stay with you tonight, right? Because I can go back to my room if needed."

"Let's adjust a bit more so we're laying flat. Otherwise, you'll wake up with a crick in your neck and that's not good at all," Junhui replies, moving his body so he's laying completely flat and under the covers of his bed.

"Good idea." Minghao brings his head back to Junhui's neck and lets his arms and legs snake around Junhui and hold him close. It's not the most conventional way to sleep, but it's Minghao so Junhui doesn't mind at all.

It took a while before Junhui figured out who had been harassing Minghao. He didn't want to push Minghao to tell him because that would be suspicious and it wouldn't be a very nice thing for a friend to do. So, Junhui did the next best thing, skip his communications class to hide near Minghao's pottery class. It's a bit creepy and Junhui didn't like to intrude on Minghao's space, but this is for his own good.

As of now, Junhui is hiding in some bushes which is not a unique hiding spot or a very good one generally, but Junhui specializes in hiding in foliage. Strange talent that can't be shown off at parties, but it's much more useful than scaring everyone by juggling knives. To get a bit off topic, Junhui  _ has _ been to a few parties and this one kid, Soonyoung Kwon, loves to juggle knives. Why even tempt fate like that? And drunk people who are afraid someone will have to call 911 are quite possibly Junhui's least favorite drunk people.

When will this guy show up? The door to Minghao’s classroom opens and Minghao walks past Junhui without even a passing glance. Around the corner, Junhui spots Mingyu who seems to be following after Minghao. He can’t be a hundred percent sure it’s him without waiting for a moment (killing innocent people isn’t something that Junhui likes to do). Mingyu catches up to Minghao and taps him on the shoulder. Minghao looks uncomfortable but pauses and talks to him for a moment. Mingyu’s hand reaches around Minghao’s shoulders and pulls him close and Minghao tries to move away, but Mingyu doesn’t let up. It makes Junhui’s blood boil, but he can’t intervene yet.

Minghao shoves Mingyu off him and gives him the finger and stomps off. Mingyu makes a vulgar gesture behind Minghao’s back and Junhui looks around— there’s no one in sight in any direction, but that doesn’t mean Junhui can just stab Mingyu now. Mingyu walks the opposite direction as Minghao and turns into an alley which cuts across campus. This is Junhui’s chance.

Standing up from the bushes, Junhui looks a bit strange. Dressed in dark colors, gloves and a hat that covers up his hair net (no evidence is gonna be left at this scene), Junhui walks down the same way as Mingyu. Junhui can feel the blade practically burning a hole in his pocket. Mingyu is walking and still hasn’t noticed Junhui, even though Junhui is only a few feet away. The blade is in his hand, then he grabs Mingyu’s mouth to muffle his scream and slices his carotid artery all within 10 seconds. Junhui counts to five and then drops Mingyu. Blood has gotten on Junhui’s glove covered hand and part of his shoulder from the spurts of blood. Mingyu is convulsing on the ground and blood is still shooting from his wound, but Junhui is already gone.

* * *

There's a knock at the door and Junhui's ears perk up. They rarely get people coming by these days, mostly because Minghao and him have been keeping mostly to themselves. Junhui gets up and opens the door, only to be greeted with a police officer. Junhui is surprised, but not panicked. He killed Mingyu and Mingyu was associated with Minghao, so there should be nothing to worry about.

"Are you Minghao Xu?" the officer asks. Junhui shakes his head. "Well do you know where I could find him?"

"Yeah, come on in." Junhui gestures for the cop to sit on his couch and goes over to Minghao's room. He knocks on the door and when Minghao doesn't answer, he opens the door to see Minghao painting someone, but Junhui can't really tell who as the painting is only in it's beginning stages.

"Oh, hi there, Junhui," Minghao says. "I was so focused on this painting I wasn't really listening at all. Strange feeling I must say."

"A police officer is here for you." Minghao's face pales and Junhui wants to tell him that he doesn't need to worry, but that will cause more questions than Junhui is willing to answer. "He's sitting on the couch."

"Can you sit with me? Cops make me really nervous, so just like be quiet and hold my hand or something," Minghao requests and Junhui really hasn't seen too much of this side of Minghao. Maybe he saw a similar version when they cuddled, but this is much different. Minghao is exposed and vulnerable, so Junhui can't help the little bit of guilt that he feels from bringing Minghao into this situation in the first place.

"Yeah, anything for you," Junhui replies, extending his hand to Minghao to help pull him up off the ground. Why he doesn't buy a desk to paint at Junhui does not know. They walk back into the main room and Junhui sits silently next to Minghao. It’s strange being in the room as the very cops who are looking for him. But there’s nothing to connect him to Mingyu and no evidence left at the scene.

“Why is your friend with you?” one of the cops asks and Minghao looks so uncomfortable.

“Cops make me nervous and having him here relaxes me,” Minghao replies.

“As long as he doesn’t say anything or interrupt.” The cop shoots Junhui a glance and Junhui doesn’t say anything. The officer  _ did _ say for him to be quiet. “How well did you know Mingyu Kim?” Minghao looks surprised, but doesn’t ask anything.

“I didn’t really know him that well at all,” Minghao says. And that’s true to a degree but based on the look on the cop’s face, they know that as well.

“Then why did his friends point us towards you?” Now that Junhui didn’t see coming. Which one of Mingyu’s friends knew about his obsession with Minghao? Maybe it was Seungcheol, but Junhui can’t say for sure.

“Mingyu followed me between classes and had some sort of  _ thing _ for me, I suppose, but I never led him on,” Minghao says. “I hardly know anything about him anyway.”

“Well, he was murdered right by your classroom,” the officer replies and Minghao looks like he’s going to be sick. Junhui feigns shock and discomfort, but doesn’t say anything.

“He’s dead?” Minghao asks, voice nearly a whisper.

“Yes, he was killed two days ago. I know this is all very shocking, but where were you between two and two-thirty two days ago?” The officer asks, not looking that sincere in his words. Junhui knows how it will look at first, but Minghao didn’t commit the murder, so there’s no reason to arrest him at all.

“I was in class until a few minutes after two as the pottery teacher let me out late and then I walked down the hill to my painting class which starts at two-twenty. That day I got coffee though and that would have been at like two-ten-ish and the coffee shop is the Bean Star which is right next to my painting class,” Minghao explains. Everything about that checks out to Junhui.

“Did you see Mingyu on that day at all?” This might fuck things up a little bit, but it should be fine, honestly.

“No, I didn’t see him. I had no idea he would even be over there that day. Like he would bug me sometimes, but it was more often on Mondays and Fridays, rarely ever on a Tuesday,” Minghao says. And wow. That is a straight up lie. Junhui is impressed that Minghao is so good at lying, considering that Junhui isn’t aware of another time that Minghao has had to lie like that. The officer nods and stands up.

“Thank you for your time.” Then the two of them leave. Minghao slumps back against the couch once they are both gone. His eyes slide shut and it might be the light, but Junhui sees a tear slip out of Minghao’s eye. Junhui pulls his feet under his butt and sits next to Minghao, not saying a word.

“Junhui?” Minghao whispers.

“Yeah?” Junhui replies. It’s weird using his voice again after not speaking for a bit.

“Is it wrong for me to not be upset by Mingyu’s death? Like he was killed right by my classroom and I didn’t even notice. But he’s out of my life now, and won’t bother me ever again.”

"I mean, don't go telling people that because it's politically incorrect, but personally, I don't think you're in the wrong," Junhui explains. It comforts him a bit to know that Minghao isn't upset about the guy dying at all. Things would have sucked if Minghao had been distressed about it and Junhui would then have this guilt for killing. Why Junhui has no remorse for killing is something that probably should be examined, but Junhui doesn't really care. He only hurts those who have it coming for one reason or another.

And besides, there's too many people on Earth. One less person on Earth cuts down on the amount of greenhouse gasses put into the atmosphere. While just one person won't affect the environment that much, Junhui aspires to kill enough to help the planet, even if only by a little bit.

“Thank you, Junnie,” Minghao replies. “I feel both better and worse.”

“That’s understandable, but soon you will only feel better. Right now, I assume you feel guilty, even though you have no reason to. It’s not your fault that Mingyu is dead.” In a way, it is Minghao’s fault that Mingyu is dead because Junhui killed Mingyu  _ for _ him, but that’s not really relevant at the moment.

“I know, it’s just weird, y’know. Or maybe you don’t know, but it’s the strangest feeling,” Minghao says. “I really don’t know how to explain it.”

“That’s really okay. Is there anything I can do for you?” Junhui asks. He wants to help Minghao into the state of not really caring anymore, but he isn’t sure how to do that.

“Can you hold my hand?” Minghao’s voice is so quiet, Junhui is sure he mishears it, but he lets his hand snake across the couch and latch onto Minghao’s. He gets a little squeeze and squeezes back causing Minghao to crack a small smile which in turn lets Junhui’s heart ablaze.

* * *

"Hey, Junhui," Minghao says from the couch. Junhui wasn't expecting Minghao to be awake at this hour. It's past three and the only reason Junhui hadn't been home was that he was busy killing a student. Junhui really hadn't had any time recently to kill and he had been getting a bit antsy. He kept daydreaming about choking his partner in English even though they are a perfectly nice person and not really Junhui's favorite to kill.

"Why are you up? Don't you have class in like five hours?" Junhui asks, deflecting. He doesn't have any evidence on him, but it's still suspicious that he is returning home at three am when he has no reason to be out. Junhui keeps to himself mostly, with the exception of Minghao.

"Yeah, but I went into your room like two hours ago because I couldn't sleep and you weren't there," Minghao drawls. "Then I realized that this wasn't the first time you've been gone at weird hours." Junhui's blood runs cold, he doesn't have an excuse prepared because he assumed Minghao would be asleep. He could say he likes to go for long walks, but that's a pretty weak lie.

"So what?" Junhui counters. He doesn't have to explain himself to Minghao because they are just roommates and it's his life.

"I think you're going out and killing people," Minghao states. Junhui feels his body start to go numb. What's his exit strategy here? Kill Minghao? He could never do that, Junhui loves Minghao too much to hurt him in any way, shape, or form.

"It's not what you think, Minghao. I promise."

"But I like what I think." Huh. That's strange. He can't possibly mean. "I don't care if you're a serial killer. In fact, I've suspected it for a little while, but it's quite strange to ask your roommate if they are a serial killer isn't it?"

"Yeah, it certainly is." Minghao takes a few steps closer to Junhui, who uses all of his strength to stay put. Whether he wants to run to Minghao or run away remains to be seen.

"But don't worry about me," Minghao says quietly. "I get it. There's all kinds of shitty people out there, so you're just making the world a better place." The distance between them is closing. Minghao is standing directly in front of Junhui, toes nearly touching, waiting.

"What are you waiting for?" Junhui asks.

"For you to kiss me." The answer is said like it's nothing. Just another cluster of words, but they mean so much more than that to Junhui. And Junhui hopes there is meaning in them to Minghao as well.

Junhui carefully grabs Minghao's face and brings them closer together. Then they are kissing and Minghao is taking the lead, but Junhui loves it. Being taken by the man of his dreams without having to worry about his conscience is probably the most overwhelmingly amazing feeling ever. Minghao's hands slip under Junhui's shirt and lightly scratch along his back.

"So, who was it?" Minghao asks, breaking their kiss and breathing hard enough where Junhui can feel his heartbeat through his clothes.

"Soonyoung Kwon," Junhui pants and Minghao smiles which is so wrong, but makes something twist in Junhui's gut, but in the best way. "Why are you smiling?"

"I just never liked him, so I'm not upset about him dying. Plus the thought of you killing someone is mildly hot," Minghao admits. "I'm sure that means there's something wrong with me, but I don't want it to change." Then Minghao puts his mouth back on Junhui's and is guiding them towards his bedroom which while illogical (there is still paint supplies everywhere, including Minghao's bed), Junhui can’t bring himself to care. “Wait, let’s go to your room because there’s no paint in it.”

“That would be for the best,” Junhui agrees, loving the butterflies that shoot through his gut with every kiss Minghao gives him. Minghao pulls Junhui into the bedroom and flops down onto Junhui’s bed.

“Come here and kiss me some more,” Minghao demands, pouting and Junhui feels himself fall in love all over again.

**Author's Note:**

> come yell at me on twt im nice i promise  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/carrotyeol)  
> [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.qa/carrotyeol)


End file.
